Week of 1/16/2012

Written by Press Staff Writer

January 12, 2012

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MLK holiday closureOwens Community College Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as the Arrowhead Park Learning Center in Maumee and the Learning Center at The Source in downtown Toledo, will be closed Monday, Jan. 16 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed for business. Classes will resume and administrative offices will reopen Jan. 17.

Ohio law requires that before Jan. 31 of each year, all dogs 3 months of age or older must be registered in the county in which the dog is kept. Information required for registration includes age, sex, color, length of hair, whether spayed or neutered, breed of the dog and the name, address and phone number of the owner.

A registration fee of $14 must be paid with the application for each dog registered. The kennel application fee is $70. Owners who registered in 2011 through the Internet will receive a reminder e-mail.

Dog registrations may be filed by mail, in person, or on the Internet. Mailed applications should include the license fee, dog information (as stated above) and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of the license. In addition, the Wood County District Board of Health has adopted a regulation requiring all dogs be immunized against rabies; rabies information should be included in the in the application process.

Licenses may be purchased in person at the Wood County Auditor’s office, located on the second floor of the county office building between 8:30 and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or at the Wood County Dog Shelter.

Internet applications may be made at www.co.wood.oh.us/auditor. An additional $2 convenience fee per license will be charged. For more information, call 419-354-9163.

Tax prep helpUnited Way of Greater Toledo is collaborating with Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz and Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak to offer free tax preparation for working families and individuals.

The service aims to assist low-to-middle income working families claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Those who qualify for the program could be eligible to receive a federal tax credit of up to $5,751.

“This is a tremendous service we’re able to offer to Lucas County residents,” Kapszukiewicz said. “We strongly encourage people to schedule an appointment for free with our certified tax preparers, rather than giving up a significant portion of your hard-earned tax return to an expensive tax prep agency.”

“Through this valuable program nearly 1,800 families received free tax preparation in 2011,” Wozniak added. “Not only are we helping residents eliminate the unnecessary expense of a tax preparer, we’re also helping them find valuable tax credits.”

Those who want to know if they are eligible for the EITC credit or want to schedule a free tax preparation appointment are urged to dial 2-1-1. Tax preparation is performed by IRS-trained and certified volunteers by appointment at sites around Lucas County.

Assessing homelessnessA point in time (PIT) count of the number of homeless persons in Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa and Seneca counties will be conducted on Jan. 24.

This count, one of many counts in counties around Ohio, will provide a single-day snapshot of homelessness across the state. Locally, WSOS will participate in the count by documenting the number of homeless people in its four-county service area.

Ragan Claypool, WSOS support services coordinator, said the count would include those who fall under the following categories: those who are staying in emergency shelter, transitional housing for the homeless, a hotel or motel paid for by a public or private entity in lieu of shelter, or places not meant for human habitation such as streets, campgrounds, or abandoned buildings.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires annual counts of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons for communities interested in participating in the McKinney-Vento funding through the Continuum of Care (CoC) application process. WSOS will work with volunteers from the local homeless coalitions to conduct the count.

The count in Ohio is facilitated by the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), and it is conducted statewide on the same day for the same time period.

In 2011, the PIT count determined that locally there were 294 homeless individuals and families with 176 having no shelter while others were in emergency or transitional housing on the day of the count.

The count also includes groups referred to as sub-populations of the homeless, including those who are severely mentally ill, veterans, persons with HIV/AIDS, chronic substance abuse, victims of domestic violence, unaccompanied youth and chronically homeless.

WSOS administers grants that aid individuals and families who find themselves homeless. However, the number of people who request assistance annually far outweigh the funding WSOS receives.

For information on the homeless programs operated by WSOS, call Ragan Claypool at 419-334-8911, visit www.wsos.org or e-mail us at info@wsos.org.

Free Red Cross trainingThe American Red Cross, thanks to a grant received from the Harry B. Stensen Fund, is offering first aid/CPR training for unemployed or underemployed Ottawa County residents, as well as to anyone who is caring for a high-risk family member.

The Adult, Infant and Child Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) with Automated External Defibrillation (AED) and First Aid training will be offered Feb. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ottawa County Resource Center, 8043 W SR 163, Oak Harbor. Jan Overmyer, RN will be the instructor for the day.

Class size is limited. Register by Jan. 31 by calling 419-734-1100.

Racer’s Chili ChallengeLocal racing teams, fans and chili lovers should mark Feb. 25 on their calendars – the date the 2012 “Racer’s Chili Challenge” will return to the Sandusky County fairgrounds in Fremont.

The Kistler Racing Products Fremont/Attica Sprint Title (F.A.S.T.) organization and Hoserville Ohio have teamed up to bring the chili challenge back to Fremont. This year’s event will be held at the new Fremont Speedway Hall of Fame, located behind the speedway grandstands.

The event includes teams from the sprint car divisions as well as late models and dirt trucks. Fans and media are invited to pit their best chili recipes against their favorite racers’ chili. The winner of the challenge will receive $100 cash and the coveted “Chili Pot” trophy.

Entry forms may be downloaded www.fastondirt.com and mailed to Racer’s Chili Challenge, Attn: Stephanie Linder, 2916 Fangboner Road, Fremont, OH 43420. Otherwise, the necessary information about the entrant’s chili team may be e-mailed to fastondirt@yahoo.com by Feb. 1.

Hydrant flushingThe Village of Woodville Water Department will be flushing fire hydrants beginning the week of Jan. 16, weather-permitting.

During flushing, residents may experience temporary low water pressure and/or discoloration of water. If discoloration occurs, residents should allow tap water to run several minutes. For more information, call the Utilities Department at 419-849-3031.

8th grade Indian NightMorrison R. Waite High School will hold its annual Eighth Grade Indian Night Jan. 26 at 6:15 p.m. in the Career Center cafeteria.

The event offers an opportunity for future Indians to meet staff members, tour the building and hear about academics, activities and athletics.

All eighth-grade students and parents are invited to attend.

Ghost hunter to visitInternationally-known paranormal investigator Dustin Pari will present an evening of insightful discussion at a presentation set for Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Owens Community College’s Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

Pari will provide insight into firsthand accounts with spirits from the afterlife as part of the interactive lecture presentation. Additionally, he will share how investigators “hunt” for spirits and the types of electronic equipment used to capture paranormal findings.

The paranormal expert will also present evidence of spiritual activity as documented through videos, audio and photos.

Pari discovered his fascination with paranormal activity at a young age – a passion he turned into a career, traveling throughout the country and the world investigating paranormal activity and presenting before community groups and organizations. He also appeared throughout several seasons of Syfy Channel’s “Ghost Hunters” and “Ghost Hunters International” television shows.

Additionally, Pari is the founder of The Patch Ministry, a non-profit Christian ministry, and tours the country giving inspirational lectures about faith.

Tickets for the lecture presentation are $25. All seats are general admission. To purchase tickets, visit www.owens.edu/arts/ or call 567-661-2787.

The course is designed for motorcycle riders of all ages. Instructors Vickey Johnson and Linda Nijakowski will exercise riders’ cognitive skills to help keep them sharp over the winter while motorcycles are parked.

Space is limited for the free class, so registration is appreciated. Reserve a spot by calling 419-843-7892.

Preschool pre-registrationThe Wood County Preschool will soon begin pre-registration for the 2012-13 school year.

Preschool classes are located at Walbridge Elementary for Lake residents, and Olney Elementary for Northwood residents. Call Naomi at the WCESC at 419-354-9010, ext. 133 for more information.

The series will meet for six consecutive Saturdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Wood County Senior Center, 305 North Main St., Bowling Green.

Throughout the sessions, Bowling Green State University professors will enlighten participants with up-to-date information on international topics.

The series is co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women, Bowling Green Women’s Club and The Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc. Registration is required due to limited seating.

The presentation schedule includes:

Jan. 21 – “Cybersecurity” presented by Dr. Stefan Fritsch;

Jan 28 – “Promoting Democracy,” presented by Dr. Gary Hess;

Feb. 4 – “Middle East Realignment,” presented by Dr. Marc Simon.

Feb. 11 – “State of the Oceans,” presented by Dr. Shannon Orr.

Feb. 18 – “Energy Geopolitics,” presented by Dr. Andy Kear.

Feb. 25 – “Mexico,” presented by Dr. John Kaiser Ortiz.

The sessions are free and open to the public. Breakfast will be served from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. before all discussions. Advanced registration is encouraged. Menus are available upon request and the cost is a suggested donation $2 for those 60 and over and $5 for those under 60. For more information, call the Wood County Committee on Aging at 800-367-4935, email programs@wccoa.net or visit the committee on Facebook at facebook.com/wccoa.

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